We respect your privacy
This privacy notice applies to SolarShare Ltd.’s use of your personal data. It explains what information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with and how we protect it. It also details the rights available to you in relation to how we hold and use your personal data, how to exercise those rights, and what to do if you require more information or wish to make a complaint.
This privacy notice applies to all personal data we hold, irrespective of any relationship with us. For example, we may hold information about current customers, previous customers, and prospective customers.
Why we collect your Personal Data
We collect your personal data so that we can manage our relationships with you. Activities that we require personal data for include:
- Provision of our equipment and services
- Improving our services
- Developing new services
- Responding to requests and providing information
- A range of other activities which we are obliged to undertake, or which we have gained consent to complete
At all times we ensure that the information we collect is appropriate to the purposes for which it is obtained.
Security of your Personal Data
We keep our computer systems, files and buildings secure by following legal requirements and international security guidance. We make sure that our staff, and anyone with access to personal data that we are responsible for, is fully trained on how to protect personal data. We ensure that our processes clearly identify the requirements for managing personal data and that they are up to date. We regularly audit our systems and processes to ensure that we remain compliant with these policies and legal obligations.
Types of Personal Data we may hold and where it comes from
At SolarShare, we recognise the importance of personal data entrusted to us. We may collect and hold a range of information about you. Examples of the types of information we may hold includes:
- Information about you and your home, including contact information you have provided to us to help us correctly identify you when you contact us
- Information about your current and past use of electricity
- Information about how you use products and services we supply
- Information about your interactions with us
- Information provided by you when you take part in advertising campaigns
- Recordings of telephone conversations between you and our customer support teams
- Information that allows us to contact you directly including your name, email address, telephone number and addresses associated with your account
- Purchase history, credit/debit card details and bank account details you provide to make payment for the products and services you purchase
- Information about your meter (GPRN and/or MPRN) and how much energy is used at your home
- When you use our applications or websites, we collect information about the pages you look at on our website and how you use them, your device type, operating system and browser type.
We collect most of this information directly from the individuals that we interact with, when they contact us in writing, by telephone or electronically (by email, using our website or on social media and web chat). Some information is collected as a result of individuals using our services, or interacting with us. We may also obtain information about individuals from external parties, such as credit reference agencies.
Our use of Cookies
Our website uses ‘cookies’ to help us provide you with a better experience each time you visit. A cookie is a small piece of text that is placed directly on a device when it is used to visit a website. This helps to give you a better experience when using the website. The information gathered by the cookie stays on your device.
We use information gathered from cookies to help improve your experience on our website, for security, and to personalise content and advertising. For example, cookies help us to identify that the device has visited our site before, allowing us to customise the experience based on previous browsing history. It also helps us to determine the most relevant, related products to show you when you are browsing.
We do not use cookies to gather any personal data for storage on our systems. You can delete the cookie and the information that it gathers at any time using the settings in your internet web browser.
How long we keep data
Information collected by us will be held for as long as it is required to fulfil the purpose it was collected for and to protect our business and our rights. We are required to keep certain types of information for a specific period of time in order to comply with legal requirements. The length of time we keep any part of your personal information will depend on the type of information and the purpose for which it was obtained.
How we may use Personal Data
We use personal data so that we can, in accordance with our customer contracts, provide our services and perform general account management. In addition, we may also use personal data in some of the following ways:
Purpose
- Providing products and services to you and maintaining your account
- Setting up new accounts and billing arrangements
- Performance and maintenance of a service contract
- Generating and sending invoices
- Monitoring payment activity and managing debt
- Delivering service communications
- Discussing and responding to requests for information or general account queries
- Providing requested information about our products and services
We process the following personal information as we have a legitimate interest to do so:
Purpose
- Developing and maintaining our products and services. For example enhancing pricing structures, business operations, and or analysing performance of advertising / marketing campaigns. Demographical, behaviours, interests and habits maybe taken in to consideration.
- Market Surveys, research and analytics
- Direct marketing – Products and services (in accordance to your marketing preferences, you will also be given an opportunity to unsubscribe from direct marketing)
- Developing new products and services
- Monitor product usage
- Running loyalty and reward programs you may have signed up to
Activities that require your consent
In order for us to carry out certain activities using your personal data, we may need to ask for your consent.
Where we require consent, we will explain why, and provide sufficient information to allow you to make an informed decision.
When we receive consent to perform such activities, that consent may be withdrawn at any time by contacting us.
Should there be any reason for us to collect special category information (e.g. medical data), we ask for consent to collect it. Before consent is given, we explain what information will be collected and what we will use it for. Again, this consent can be withdrawn at any time by contacting us.
Direct Marketing
SolarShare may contact you for direct marketing purposes. We will always give you an option of unsubscribing from direct marketing via the channel you received the communication.
Who we share information with
We may share your personal data with, or disclose your personal data to, the following categories of third party:
- Agents or suppliers: These are contract bound persons or companies to provide products or services that we use in conducting our business, including managing our relationship with our customers. In many cases, they will be within the European Economic Area (EEA) but in some cases they may be outside of the EEA. We will only share or disclose to these parties the information that they need in order to provide the products or services, and will require those parties to ensure that the information is always adequately protected.
- Other external bodies:In certain circumstances, we may be required by law to disclose personal data to external bodies, such as local authorities, government departments or An Garda Síochána. In these cases, we will only disclose the minimum amount of information required to satisfy our legal obligation. However, once the information is disclosed, we will not be able to control how it is used by those bodies.
How we address your rights
As SolarShare captures, stores and processes your personal information in order to carry out a range of services and activities, you have a range of rights available to you to give you confidence that your information is appropriately managed.
The rights that you have available to you include:
Gaining access to and copies of your personal data: You are entitled to receive, on request and free of charge, a copy of all your personal data that we hold. There are some limitations to this right. For example, if the data also relates to another person and we do not have that person’s consent, or if the data is subject to legal privilege. Where there is data that we cannot disclose, we will explain this to you. To request a copy of your data, please send us an email at dataprivacy@solar-panel-quotes.ie.
Ensuring that your data is accurate: Our aim is to ensure that the data we hold about you is correct and up to date. From time to time we may contact you to verify the information that we hold. You may also contact us to correct any errors that you notice.
Granting or Removing consent: Where we require your consent for any processing, for example, to provide you with direct marketing communications, we will clearly explain what the consent is for, and any consequences of giving or refusing consent, and will provide that consent can only be given by way of a positive action by you. We will also ensure that you are able to withdraw any such consent at any time.
Restricting processing of your data: You have the right to request us to restrict the processing of your personal data in certain circumstances, for example, if there is a dispute over our rights to carry out specific processing activities, or where you do not want us to delete data. We will respond promptly to your request and will provide an explanation if we cannot fully comply.
Deletion of your data: In certain circumstances, you may have the right to have some or all of your personal data deleted from our records. This is sometimes referred to as the “right to be forgotten”. This may occur if, for example, we retain data which is no longer required by us, or if you withdraw a consent. If you continue to have a relationship with us, we must retain the data we need to manage this relationship. We will respond promptly to your request, and provide reasons if we object to the deletion of any of your personal data.
Moving your data:Where it is possible for us to provide it, you have the right to receive a digital copy of the personal data that you have provided to us.
International Transfers of Data: In certain circumstances, we may transfer your personal information internationally, including outside of the European Economic Area (EEA). Should we do this, we ensure that all transfers are made in accordance with data protection law and that your data it will be given an equivalent level of protection that it has when it is being managed in Ireland.
How to make a complaint
If for any reason you have a complaint about our use of your personal information, or you are unhappy in any way with the information we provide to you, we would like you to contact us directly so that we can address your complaint. You can email us at dataprivacy@solar-panel-quotes.ie. You may also contact the Data Protection Commission in Ireland on 1890 252 231, by email at info@dataprotection.ie or by postal mail at Data Protection Commission, Canal House, Station Road, Portarlington R32 AP23, Co. Laois.
Changes to our privacy notice
We will occasionally update this privacy notice. We will post a notice of any material changes on our website prior to implementing the changes, and, where appropriate, notify you using any of the contact details we hold for you for this purpose. We encourage you to periodically review this notice to be informed of how we use your information.
Updated January 2020
